Q: What does a status change from 'Awaiting Editorial Office Processing' to 'Under Review' mean?

‘Awaiting Editorial Office Processing’ means that the manuscript was awaiting an Editorial Office (EO) or Associate Editor (AE) check for aspects such as adherence to guidelines, match with the journal’s scope, and novelty of the study. Once the manuscript completes this initial check, it is sent for a peer review, which is typically indicated by ‘Under Review.’ As it has been two months since submission, it seems the manuscript has cleared the initial check and is currently undergoing peer review. Perhaps it took the journal two months to complete the initial check and then find peer reviewers for the manuscript. Good luck with the next stages!

Related questions:

• Does "Under Review" mean that the paper has passed the editorial check?
• How long will the status of my paper show "Under Review?"