Why do I have a productive cough? It is important to realise everyone produces sputum as part of the body's normal defence mechanisms. It's how the lungs and airways keep themselves clear and clean. You may find your chest remains productive with phlegm following an infection with COVID.

How long could the COVID-19 virus linger in your body?

But for most infected people, virus levels in the body peak between three and six days after the original infection, and the immune system clears the pathogen within 10 days. The virus shed after this period is generally not infectious.

Are dry coughs a symptom of COVID-19?

Dry coughs don't produce any mucus and can be hard to control. In fact, you may find it difficult to stop coughing once you start. A dry cough can occur due to exposure to irritants, or if you have allergies, asthma, croup, GERD, sinusitis or COVID-19.