Q. A 22-year-old college student presents to the emergency department with a two-day history of fever, headache, and neck stiffness. He reports feeling very ill and appears confused. He complains of sensitivity to light and has a petechial rash on his trunk and extremities. He has no remarkable medical history. On physical examination, Kernig's and Brudzinski's signs are positive. Temperature is 38.5°C, blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg, and pulse rate is 100 beats per minute. Lab investigations reveal an elevated white blood cell count in blood and CSF with predominant neutrophils. CSF glucose is low, and protein is elevated. What would be the most appropriate next step in management?