Mass General fired nurse who refused booster after reaction to first doses, lawsuit claims
BOSTON – A former registered nurse at Mass General in Boston is suing the hospital for wrongful termination, saying she was fired for refusing a COVID booster despite a request for a medical exemption after an adverse reaction to the first two doses.
Florrie McCarthy of Braintree filed the lawsuit against Mass General Brigham at U.S. District Court in Boston.
McCarthy said she worked at the hospital for 36 years. She says in January 2021 after receiving the first dose of the Moderna COVID vaccine, she experienced numbness in her face and tingling around her nose and lips for several hours.
One month later after receiving the second dose of the vaccine, McCarthy said she had a similar reaction along with a metallic taste. According to the lawsuit, McCarthy continues to suffer from a diminished sense of taste and numbness on the right side of her tongue.
In June 2022, Mass General announced it would require all employees to receive COVID boosters in order to continue working at the hospital.
McCarthy said she provided a letter from her doctor, and in her request for medical exemption included a letter from Mass General's Department of Neurology saying "we cannot rule out that the COVID 19 vaccine has contributed to some of the patient[']s neurological symptoms."
The hospital denied the request, saying it "does not demonstrate a sufficient medical reason or contraindication to support an exemption," the lawsuit says.
McCarthy said she was fired on July 27, 2022 "for non-compliance with Mass General Brigham's COVID-19 Vaccination Policy."
The lawsuit seeks damages plus attorney's fees. McCarthy is asking for a trial by jury.
WBZ-TV reached out to Mass General Brigham for comment but has not received one at the time of publication.
