Dr. Jay Varma, the city’s embattled former Covid czar, has been fired from his job as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at SIGA Technologies, according to a SEC filing, following reports Varma attended a sex party and rave amid Covid lockdowns.
The news comes just days after videos of Varma, City Hall’s senior public health adviser under Mayor Bill de Blasio, were posted on Thursday by the conservative podcaster Steven Crowder.
“On September 23, 2024, the Board of Directors of SIGA Technologies, Inc. (the “Company”) terminated Dr. Jay Varma, effective immediately, other than for cause, from his position as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of the Companyy,” the SEC foiling says.
In the videos, Varma is seen presumably on dates with a woman, describing a sex party he and his wife hosted at a hotel and a dance party held under a bank he attended. He issued a statement shortly after the videos surfaced..
“In those private conversations that were secretly recorded, spliced, diced, and taken out of context, I referred to events that transpired four years ago. I served in City Hall between April 2020 – May 2021. During that time, I participated in two private gatherings. I take responsibility for not using the best judgment at the time,” he said, in a copy of the statement posted by CBS News.
“Facing the greatest public health crisis in a century, our top priority was to save lives, and every decision made was based on the best available science to keep New Yorkers safe. I stand by my efforts to get New Yorkers vaccinated against COVID-19, and I reject dangerous extremist efforts to undermine the public’s confidence in the need for and effectiveness of vaccines.”
Varma was in charge of the city’s efforts to eradicate COVID by pushing vaccination, social distancing and mask wearing.
“Dr. Jay Varma’s firing is a step in the right direction, but the consequences for his actions are long overdue,” conservative Councilmember Robert Holden said in a statement.
“Varma boasted about harassing people into submission over the vaccine mandate and admitted to participating in illegal sex parties, all while he, former Health Commissioner Dr. David Chokshi, and then-Mayor Bill de Blasio imposed draconian measures that shut down the entire city.”
