Dr. Jay Varma, a former New York City Covid czar and pharmaceutical executive, was fired by the board of directors at SIGA Technologies for attending prohibited private gatherings during the pandemic. The termination was effective immediately “other than for cause,” according to a federal filing. Varma, who served as the company’s executive vice president and chief medical officer, admitted to participating in the events after a conservative podcaster posted hidden camera recordings of him describing them. The recordings included details of a “sex party” and an indoor dance bash attended by more than 200 people. Varma defended his actions by stating that all participants were vaccinated and that he did not use the best judgment at the time.
Varma’s dismissal comes after his role in developing New York City’s vaccine strategy, which became controversial when Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving was banned from playing in the city due to his vaccination refusal. In a previous statement, Varma did not dispute the authenticity of the recordings but claimed they were taken out of context. The company spokeswoman did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the firing. Varma’s spokesman also declined to comment on the matter. Varma served as Mayor Bill de Blasio’s senior public health adviser during the pandemic and was involved in implementing the city’s Covid policies.
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