Got the sniffles? Summer colds are rushing back. Here's how to tell if it's COVID-19. - USA TODAY

Although breakthrough infections are possible, they’re extremely rare, and health experts say fully vaccinated Americans are more likely to suffer from a severe summer cold than COVID-19.

The easing of social distancing and masking at gatherings may have sparked a rise in cold cases usually seen during the fall and winter months, health experts say.

Although hospitals and public health agencies don’t officially track cases of the common cold, they do track other infections that could be a marker for colds.

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms primarily in children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many cold and COVID-19 symptoms overlap: fever, runny nose, sore throat, coughing, and general fatigue.

Experts say COVID-19 symptoms typically appear two to 14 days after exposure and usually last up to two weeks, but it varies by person.

The only "real definitive way" to know the difference between a summer cold or a mild breakthrough infection of COVID-19 is by PCR testing, Preston said. .