Salisbury District Hospital has revealed who would be the recipients of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine if and when it gets approved.

News of the vaccine and its effectiveness has been met with optimism by doctors in Salisbury, with one GP saying it could be "the light at the end of the tunnel".

Although it is yet to be approved, the UK has already ordered 30 million doses and the roll-out could start before Christmas.

Salisbury District Hospital said the news was "encouraging".

Stacey Hunter, CEO at Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, said: "It is encouraging news that the start of a Covid-19 mass vaccination programme is close at hand. It is through such a programme that we will hopefully be able to get society back to normal.

"A successful mass vaccination programme should enable us to once again visit our elderly relatives, to go shopping on our high street, go to the movies, watch sport and enjoy everything Salisbury and the surrounding area has to offer.

"It will require an enormous effort from the NHS and partners but I am confident that we will all rise to the challenge."

Ms Hunter also said who in the region would get the vaccine first.

She said: "The programme in South Wiltshire will be delivered in phases with those who are vulnerable and health and social care workers prioritised to protect those most in need and to enable staff to help others."

The mRNA-based vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech is said to be more than 90 per cent effective at preventing Covid-19.

However, there are still questions to be answered over how long immunity will last for.