An uptick in Covid cases and hospitalizations in the U.S., and the emergence of new variants of the virus, are prompting questions about whether Americans should start masking up again. One thing's for sure: People infected with Covid should wear masks around others to prevent the spread of the virus. That includes your personal risk level, Covid rates in your region and who you might make contact with, public health experts said. Newer Covid variants like the now-dominant EG.5, or "Eris," and a handful of XBB strains have fueled the rise. New Covid shots from Pfizer , Moderna and Novavax are slated to roll out in mid-September, and will likely provide robust protection against those variants.

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Persons: Michael Nason, Donna Nason, Andrew Pekosz, Francesca Torriani, Pavitra, Axios Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, CNBC, CDC, U.S, Pfizer, Moderna, University of California, University of Washington School of Medicine Locations: Bakersfield, Los Angeles , CA, California, U.S, Covid, San Diego