I don't have much of cilia left, they were killed off by my autoimmune illness. Cilia bring up phlegm from your airways and in a nice way so you don't even notice. Not having this means I have to mostly actively cough up phlegm. I usually step aside to do it. But sometimes I just have to cough or the phlegm will go further down causing a sense of choking.

Sometimes people comment that I should stay home if I have a cold. I say it's not infectious but no one believes me. Also some got annoyed and demanded I be on cough suppressants so I'd kill my cough reflex and let mucus go straight into my lungs to cause pneumonia.

People are nice like that.