How should a hospital respond if the agent is unknown but aerosolized exposure is suspected?

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The main idea is to treat any unknown aerosol exposure as potentially airborne and act immediately to protect staff and patients. Implement airborne precautions right away: place the patient in an airborne infection isolation setting if available, have healthcare workers wear N95 respirators or higher (with eye protection as needed), and minimize exposure by limiting transport and aerosol-generating procedures. Notify infection prevention and public health authorities so they can coordinate testing, surveillance, and broader public health actions. Waiting for lab confirmation or sticking to standard precautions could allow an airborne agent to spread, and delaying action until a specific diagnosis is made is unsafe. Acting promptly with proper PPE, isolation, and reporting protects people and helps contain any potential threat.