Axios

Royal Caribbean International will postpone its first scheduled trip from the United States in more than a year following eight new positive COVID-19 cases among crew members, CEO Michael Bayley announced.

Why it matters: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a No Sail Order in March 2020 amid the spread of the coronavirus. "The debut of the Odyssey of the Seas was highly anticipated as cruise lines attempt a comeback after more than 15 months of not sailing from the U.S. because of the pandemic," AP writes.

Public Citizen is asking Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to fire three top FDA officials — Janet Woodcock, Patrizia Cavazzoni and Billy Dunn — over the agency's "indefensible decision to approve" Biogen's Alzheimer's treatment, Aduhelm, according to a letter the consumer advocacy group sent today.

Why it matters: The FDA increasingly has approved drugs that come with high price tags but have weak or no clinical evidence of working, like Aduhelm, and now more scientists and medical experts are calling for an overhaul of the agency's leadership.

The Biden administration has purchased an additional 200 million doses of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine, the biotech company announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: Moderna and the Biden administration say the additional doses could be used to vaccinate children or — if necessary — as a booster shot.

In 15 states, at least 70% of adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the latest CDC data shows.

On the flip side, fewer than 50% of adults have gotten at least one shot in four states including Wyoming, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The majority of states (29) have reached 60% or more of adults with at least one dose of the vaccine.

A new initiative aiming to create cheaper generic drugs for retail pharmacies signed on Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield — one the largest insurers in the U.S. — as well as drug manufacturer Catalent as partners, officials announced this morning.

Driving the news: The newly-named CivicaScript, a subsidiary of the hospital-owned non-profit drug maker Civica Rx, is the latest effort by the health care industry to get control of generic drug prices.

The amount Medicare spent on drugs that are dispensed at pharmacies increased 26% from 2013 through 2018, members of the Medicare Advisory Payment Commission wrote in their new annual report.

Why it matters: MedPAC members put the spotlight on pharmaceutical companies, attributing "nearly all of the growth ... to higher prices rather than an increase in the number of prescriptions filled by beneficiaries."

People who were previously infected with the coronavirus have some level of protection against reinfection, but that doesn't mean they shouldn't get vaccinated.

Why it matters: If you're trying to calculate herd immunity, previous infections count for something. But protection from both vaccines and infections likely decreases over time, and getting at least one shot of a vaccine increases people with prior infections' level of protection against variants.

New Yorkers and Californians celebrated most COVID-19 restrictions lifting on Tuesday, as the two states became the latest to move toward fully reopening their economies.

The big picture: The pandemic has now claimed over 600,000 lives in the U.S., but vaccines have helped drive down the seven-day average to roughly 14,000 new cases and fewer than 400 deaths per day, helping most states to ease restrictions.

COVID-19 shed light on and exacerbated the structural problems in the U.S. mental health care system — which often requires patients to seek out care and pay out-of-pocket for it. Demand for mental health services has skyrocketed, and therapists have reported difficulty meeting demand.

Axios Re:Cap is joined by Chris Molaro, CEO of NeuroFlow, to discuss gaps in the mental health care system and how mental health technology has evolved in the midst of the pandemic. 

Note: This episode mentions depression and suicide. If you or someone you know needs help today, you can find help at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. It’s free and available 24/7: 1-800-273-8255.

About 23% of COVID-19 patients have developed at least one "persistent or new" medical condition more than four weeks after their initial diagnosis, according to a new study from FAIR Health.

Why it matters: New post-COVID symptoms were discovered across different age groups. The five most common were pain, difficulty breathing, high cholesterol, malaise and fatigue, and high blood pressure, reports the New York Times.

At least 70% of New York adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday, meaning all state-mandated COVID-19 restrictions are lifted effective immediately.

Why it matters: Once the epicenter of the pandemic, Tuesday's announcement brings New York one step closer towards normalcy and a "return to life as we know it," Cuomo said.

More than 600,000 people have died from the coronavirus in the U.S., according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The big picture: It's a higher death toll than the number of American soldiers killed in combat during the Vietnam War, World War I and World War II combined.

California lifted most of its coronavirus restrictions on Tuesday, taking the U.S. a step closer to fully reopening.

Why it matters: California, the most populous state in the country, was one of the last states to drop its health restrictions, according to the New York Times.

The National Institutes of Health said Tuesday morning that testing of samples from an ongoing study of Americans show a very limited number of cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in five U.S. states as early as Jan. 7, 2020.

Why it matters: Calling it another "piece of the puzzle" of when and how the coronavirus pandemic began, the NIH researchers say this offers more evidence that the virus was in the U.S. at the end of December.

Euro 2020 is among the first major global sporting events to take place in the waning days of the pandemic, providing a chance to explore how 24 different countries have responded to COVID-19.

Why it matters: Though 11 countries share hosting duties, the tournament offers a preview of next month's Olympics, when athletes from over 200 countries will descend on Tokyo.

Two House Republicans — including Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) — are introducing a bill Tuesday to sanction top Chinese health officials until they allow an investigation into whether the coronavirus originated in a Wuhan lab, according to a copy of the bill text obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: The lab-leak theory has regained prominence in both the scientific and political worlds, after the Wall Street Journal reported that three scientists who worked at the Wuhan Institute of Virology experienced COVID-19 symptoms in November 2019.

Most hospitals aren't fully complying with a new federal rule requiring them to make their prices available, according to a new study in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Why it matters: The goal of the regulation is to allow price shopping and, thus lower costs, although it's unclear whether it'd have this effect.

Airlines have reported some 3,000 cases of unruly behavior by passengers to the Federal Aviation Administration this year — including 2,300 for refusing to comply with face mask mandates, the FAA announced Monday.

Why it matters: Passenger numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels. But the FAA is investigating the highest number of suspected federal law violations since it began recording unruly passenger incidents in 1995, per ABC News.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers gathered on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building to honor American lives lost to COVID-19, as the country's pandemic death toll on Monday neared 600,000.

Of note: The milestone comes as the number of deaths from the coronavirus continue to drop, along with cases and hospitalizations — something Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) noted on the Senate floor before gathering with other lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), to hold a moment of silence.

An Atlanta area grocery store cashier was killed and three other people were injured in a shooting following a dispute over a face mask policy in the supermarket Monday, police said.

Driving the news: DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox said during a news conference that the female cashier was working at the Big Bear Supermarket in Decatur when she was shot following a "confrontation" over the wearing of masks.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) announced Monday that 80% of its eligible population has received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Why it matters: Vermont is the first state in the country to reach that threshold. As a result, Scott said he is removing all COVID-19 restrictions.

Mall owner Washington Prime Group has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, saying the "COVID-19 pandemic proved insurmountable."

Our thought bubble, via Axios' Aja Whitaker-Moore: Malls have been on the decline for years due to consumer demand shifting online. The pandemic has accelerated the trend for some operators grappling with disappearing foot traffic from shutdowns, and struggling tenants who've stopped paying rent or filed for bankruptcy themselves.