In this article, we will discuss the policies for submitting scientific papers to journals and why these exclusive policies should stop and what can be done right now. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I submitted a research paper with my colleagues to a leading journal in our field to study the impact of the onset of the pandemic on individuals’ mental health, based on their personality traits. This paper was very sensitive because people were starting to adjust to the rapid progression of the pandemic. However, the paper took several months without being sent for peer review. The multiple messages we sent to the journal made no progress. We had to withdraw the paper and submit it elsewhere, resulting in a loss of precious time. We could have avoided this if we had been allowed to submit the manuscript to other places simultaneously.
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The author declares no competing interests.
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