OKC Attorney With Coronavirus (COVID-19) Warns Others In His Profession To Take The Disease Serious

An Oklahoma City attorney returned recently from a vacation in Florida to learn he contracted coronavirus (COVID-19). Chris Sloan is now warning others in his profession to take the disease serious or it could lead to deadly consequences.

”I got back Wednesday of last week and immediately felt sick,” said Chris Sloan, local attorney.

Sloan has since been diagnosed with the coronavirus. He said he returned from vacation to barely being able to get out of bed.

“This wasn’t like any type of flu I experienced ever before,” said Sloan.

He was tested at OU Medical Center last week after learning a friend he traveled with tested positive. He said there is not much he can do to treat the symptoms.

“It’s just exhausting from one moment to the next,” said Sloan. “Some days you feel better and wake up the next morning and you’re in another state of paralysis where you just can’t move.”

He is worried for others he might have been in contact with through work. He had a hearing with a judge at the Kingfisher courthouse last week. Officials there said they are aware of Sloan’s diagnosis and said they are only holding emergency hearings and following COVID-19 guidelines set by the Oklahoma Supreme Court.

Sloan said he has heard not all courthouses are doing the same.

“Some of these judges do not seem to be following them from the peers I’ve talked to,” said Sloan. “Even though I’ve not been down to the Oklahoma County courthouse where a lot of this is going on.”

He understands the need for emergency hearings but other matters he said could be handled by a phone call.

“To have to show up for a non-emergency hearing to get a signature for a court minute is absolutely ridiculous,” said Sloan. 

Sloan warned that the disease could be deadly for some and to take it serious.

“Having it and really knowing how much this is a real thing,” said Sloan. “Far worse than the flu or even more than that, it’s just really dangerous.”

Oklahoma County courthouses officials assured News 9 they are only holding emergency hearings and in-custody cases.