ABSTRACT
Exploring the context of a coughing customer for frontline workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, we utilized the semi-structured interviews of 38 participants to enhance understanding of cognitive, emotional, and vocational challenges present when a frontline worker perceives a health risk (coughing) while working. Using qualitative content analysis to analyze the interviews, we found both contexts of the actual cough and the environment in which the cough occurs to encourage the cognitive process to trigger the behavioral immune system of frontline workers. Furthermore, the findings suggest the behavioral immune system may be similar to the existing biological immune system in its adaptability. Finally, we suggest implications and directions for future research along with propositions. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.