Ryan & Keyh

2 hours ago, user555 said:

What makes you think that the US has correctly and completely identified any and all of their Coronavirus cases? You can't. You can only look at the facts about what has been reported so far. You can turn a blind eye to the facts, but then that's on you. It doesn't matter where you recover. There is no vaccine. It's either that your immune system can fight or it it can't. If the virus gets inside of you, it doesn't matter what country or hospital you're in. There is no cure right now. Please update this thread again when the Philippines has more cases and more deaths than the US.   

Here's some facts:

Currently, the Philippines Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) has a single WHO certified lab  that can test for 2019-nCoV. That lab is using primers from a referral laboratory in Japan, of which they've admitted they have a limited supply.

In contrast, the US has 69 local and state public health WHO Certified labs that can test for 2019-nCoV.  There are 12 additional labs in the verification progress, three of which should be testing by this weekend.

The Philippines doesn't have access to the rapid diagnostic testing (RDT) kits used by countries like South Korea to identify Coronavirus cases. As a result,  Health Secretary for the Philippines has been facing a lot of criticism for not testing a larger part of the population for possible infection. In comparison, South Korea, where a total of 5,621 people have caught 2019-nCoV, has been testing its residents by the thousands every day. "A feat the Philippines just isn't capable of doing for now." -  Health Secretary Francisco Duque III

There were two new cases reported yesterday of people who tested positive for 2019-nCoV AFTER returning to their country from the Philippines:

https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/3/5/Woman-who-traveled-to-Philippines-tests-positive-coronavirus-Australia-.html 

So yeah, I think the US is better equipped to correctly and completely identify Coronavirus cases than the Philippines. 

I'm fairly certain we all know there's no vaccine yet. However, if you think healthcare played no part in the recovery of over 56,000 people from 2019-nCoV , then you're not understanding how this virus works. An early CT scan of the lungs can spot pneumonia which is a defining characteristic of this virus. Supportive treatment can be conducted to help stabilize the patient and treat the symptoms. Lives have been saved as a result of hospitals administering antibiotics to treat bacterial co-infections. A well equipped hospital can offer this and we have many more options in the US.

Once again, I ask: Have you ever had to use a hospital in the Philippines? I've been coming to this country since 1995 and have found myself in a hospital on more than once occasion. While things have certainly improved in the last 25 years, this country is in NO position to battle a pandemic of these proportions. Quality healthcare is available but it's not in every city or province. Whether you want to believe it or not, it's a high risk country. Part of that risk comes from the 150,000+ POGO workers from China and the 300,000 OFWs who live and work in China. It's a revolving door in Manila.      

2 hours ago, user555 said:

It's safer in the Philippines compared to the US. Less deaths and less people have it. 

You're making a very big assumption that the Philippines has correctly and completely identified any and all of their Coronavirus cases. And if you think that you stand a better chance of recovering in a Filipino hospital versus a US one, I'd venture to guess you've never been in a situation where you've had to try both options 🙄. I love the Philippines, but comparing healthcare in a 3rd world developing country to the US is asinine.  

Their have been 14 confirmed COVID-19 deaths in the US. 11 of them occurred in the same elderly home in Washington state. The US is a big country. Wash your hands, you'll be fine. 

17 minutes ago, boris64 said:

You will usually get an SMS before 2GO updates...

Hopefully I remembered to use her cell number instead of my Phil cell number. It's her number under the profile on the embassy scheduling site but the delivery delivery information is no longer listed because the appointment has come & gone. Fingers crossed!

13 hours ago, Hank_ said:

Great news!

 

Couple days after ISSUED and 2GO should have picked up the package from the embassy.

 

Did you get CFO completed already?

Yep, she did CFO back in January. She just has to pick up the sticker. Crossing my fingers for an update on 2GO before the weekend. The UID still comes back as "Invalid". Hurry up and wait.... *sigh*

Ryan

Just wanted to followup for anyone in the same boat. Her updated CENOMAR was received and we got a "case update" reported on the 25th of Feb, on the CEAC site. Status changed to "Application Received" on the 2nd of March and then to a more generic "Administrative Processing" message on the same day. On the 3rd of March the status changed to "Issued". Now we're just waiting on 2Go! 

I'm sure the answer is probably going to be, "Depends..." but figured I would try to solicit some feedback. 

We're applying for a K1 Visa and Keyh had her interview on the 12th of Feb. The interview itself went fantastic. She was well prepared and answered all the questions they threw at her. However, she did run into a snag with her CENOMAR. The one she received from her hometown had a misspelling in her middle name. This can be traced back to her birth when the hospital incorrectly transcribed her mothers maiden name as "Calimotan" instead of the proper "Calimutan" 🙄. The embassy refused her Visa under 221(g). All was not lost though as they assured her that everything else looked great and all she had to do was submit a corrected CENOMAR via mail, no need for her to come back to Manila (phew!).

I was arriving on the 14th anyway, so we made a side trip to the PSA in Tacloban. After two days, we got her CENOMAR corrected and sent it off to the Embassy. It was signed for and (I'm guessing) entered into the system as the "Case last updated..." date changed. Anyone have any experience with Administrative Processing in Manila and how long the process might take? Seems like a pretty straightforward correction but not sure if we're moved to the "back of the line" now? Looking ahead at all the travel uncertainties, it would certainly be nice to get her stateside.

Thanks!

Ryan