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Epidemiologic studies performed during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) pandemic in 2003 noted an increased risk for transmission of the SARS coronavirus with tracheal intubation. The finding led to designating tracheal intubation and extubation as aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs). Still, the magnitude of aerosol generation with the procedures has not been measured quantitatively. To address this deficiency, British researchers used laser optical scattering equipment to precisely measure aerosol generation in operating theaters with ultraclean, laminar flow ventilation systems during 19 intubations and 14 extubations of patients undergoing orthopedic trauma or neurosurgical emergency operations and during 38 control volition…