WISCONSIN— As the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine rolls out across the country, and here in Wisconsin, trial participants are sharing their experiences with the vaccine in hopes to encourage others to get vaccinated.

Spectrum News 1 talked with a California pediatric nurse who was part of the trial for Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine. 

Kristen Choi, an assistant professor at the school of nursing at the University of California, Los Angeles, says her first injection went smoothly. However, when getting the second injection, she did experience side effects. 

"I woke up with a fever of 104.9 degrees after receiving the second of two shots in the trial," Choi says. 

Choi isn't sure if she received the vaccine or a placebo, but since she had a reaction after the second injection it makes her believe she did get the active vaccine. 

The signs of having a vaccine reaction are similar to COVID-19, Choi says. She also explained that a vaccine reaction is a signal that the body's immune system is fighting the virus and this is an outcome you want from a vaccine.

Despite the fever, she says the trial went well and she's happy she got to be a part of it. She wants people to get the COVID-19 vaccine. She mentions that this is especially important for healthcare workers to do, since it will first be offered to them and they have a platform to instill public trust.

"I absolutely would urge people to get the vaccine when it's offered to them," she says. "The virus is really out of control all over the country. This vaccine is a huge oppurtunity for us to slow things down."