A Manhattan-based celebrity physician known as Instagram’s “hottest doctor” was caught partying maskless on a boat in Miami after months of stressing the importance of face coverings to his millions of followers, according to a report Thursday.
Mikhail Varshavski — aka Dr. Mike — was photographed rubbing elbows with a group of bikini-clad women in Sunset Harbor during his 31st birthday bash, despite also urging the public to social distance during the pandemic, the Daily Mail reported.
Images show the shirtless doc giving one of the women a neck rub and posing without a mask next to a bottle of Champagne — sparking outrage from fans who called him a hypocrite, the outlet reported.
“I know it’s your life and you can do what you want, but you have chosen to be a public figure. And because of that, and your profession, you are held to a higher standard,” one follower, Irisheyez, wrote on Reddit. “You are supposed to be the example. I admired and respected you. Now that is all lost.”
Since the spring, Varshavski — who was named “sexiest doctor alive” by People Magazine in 2015 — has pleaded with the public to mask up on social media and TV.
“Please, if you’re going outside in public and are going to be around other people, wear a mask. It doesn’t matter if it’s silk, cotton or surgical grade. The purpose of the mask is to limit the respiratory droplets that you put out into the environment,” he told Maria Bartiroma on Fox Business in July.
“By wearing a mask, you are essentially limiting the spread to the community.”
In a conversation with Dr. Fauci posted on Youtube, he added, “Social distancing is incredibly important. That’s how we control the spread of this virus.”
Varshavski works as a primary care physician in Chatham, New Jersey and flew from New York City to Miami for the birthday bash on Nov. 12, the outlet reported. He has roughly 6.5 million YouTube subscribers, 3.9 million followers on Instagram and 2.9 million on Facebook.
“When you become a very large and growing medical influencer, one that a lot of people rely on for medical information in regards to the pandemic, it’s not a good look,” another follower slammed after news of the boat party broke.
Varshavski didn’t return the the Mail’s request for comment.
