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Triage typically will not be implemented soon after a BW attack because of the lack of warning and the insidious nature of the illness. When symptoms do begin to develop, patients will continue to present sporadically to health care facilities, unless a large epidemic occurs. When the pattern of patient complaints is confirmed to be secondary to a BW attack and this information is made public, hospitals will become overwhelmed by infected patients and by individuals worried that they may have been exposed to the agent. Triage will now be necessary to properly allocate existing resources, including isolation rooms, ventilators, PPE, and medications.
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