‘Be Skeptical:’ Top NYC Health Officials Race to Quell Concerns After NYT Variant Report

What to Know

• The NYT reported, in part citing unpublished research from Columbia University, that a new variant seemed to be popping up in the city with a mutation that could weaken the effectiveness of vaccines
• Neither city nor state officials had previously spoken publicly about the research; Dr. Jay Varma, the mayor’s senior health adviser, encouraged skepticism: ‘Not all variants are of public health concern’
• The paper didn’t immediately respond to criticism over the story; the Columbia doctor quoted in it said, ‘It’s odd that we are being criticized for doing good science to alert the city what’s going on’