Controversy Surrounds Former NYC Public Health Adviser Over COVID-19 Era Parties

Dr. Jay Varma, a former senior public health adviser to then-Mayor Bill de Blasio, has come under scrutiny following the release of videos purporting to show him attending sex parties and an underground dance club during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The revelations have sparked calls for a formal investigation into his actions during the health crisis.

The videos were shared by conservative podcaster Steven Crowder. In them, Varma, who played a key role in New York City’s pandemic response, appears to discuss his attendance at a large dance underneath a bank on Wall Street and hosting a sex party at a hotel during the first summer of COVID-19.

Dr. Varma released a statement acknowledging his presence at these gatherings but criticized the videos as being “secretly recorded, spliced, diced, and taken out of context.” He admitted, “I participated in two private gatherings and take responsibility for not using the best judgment at the time.”

Among those calling for an investigation is City Council Member Robert Holden. He wrote to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and NYPD Interim Commissioner Thomas Donlin, urging them to look into the matter. “As the architect of critical COVID-19 policies, including shelter-in-place mandates, bans on large gatherings, and restrictions on indoor dining, Dr. Varma was responsible for enforcing the very rules he appears to have personally disregarded,” wrote Holden.

The situation has drawn comparisons to former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s breaches of COVID regulations. New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino indicated that she and other members of the Common Sense Caucus would seek an investigation into the city’s COVID policy, including measures related to mass firings and vaccine mandates overseen by Varma.

The current city administration, led by Mayor Eric Adams, has distanced itself from the controversy. “Dr. Varma is not, nor has he ever been, a member of the current administration,” a City Hall spokesperson said, highlighting his departure in May 2021, before Adams took office.

Efforts by news outlets to reach Bill de Blasio for a comment have so far been unsuccessful. The focus remains on assessing the implications of Varma’s actions during a critical period for the city.