The opening day of the vaccination centre at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK was a resounding success: The turnout was high, giving the people responsible at BVB, the city of Dortmund and the Kassenärztlichen Vereinigung Westfalen-Lippe (KVWL) hopes of a great response.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, it has been a long time since there have been queues in front of SIGNAL IDUNA PARK. But on Thursday afternoon at 12:00 CET, basking in prime football weather, the Strobelallee was once again full of people. Almost 300 people had registered for the opening of the most beautiful vaccination centre in the world at Dortmund's stadium. Young and old, BVB fans and non-BVB fans, in kits or in normal clothes, even before the official opening, a colourful mix of people waiting for a vaccine had gathered in the square in front of the Nordtribüne – all observing the necessary social distance and wearing face masks.

 "We didn't expect such a high turnout – I'm overwhelmed," said BVB director of organisation, Dr. Christian Hockenjos. "I hope that this will remain the case, and that it will simply help us to get more fans into the stadiums – even if the incidence rates are expected to increase a little."

Up to 700 people can receive Johnson & Johnson or BioNTech/Pfizer vaccines at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK every day until 31 July. A large proportion of those coming for a vaccine also took advantage of the additional offer of the subsequent free stadium tour, including a photo with the DFB-Pokal trophy. Even as they made their way to the waiting area in the "Hansaplatz" in front of the four vaccination booths, visitors had the opportunity to see the Dortmund stadium from the inside. As they left the stadium, the joy and relief of getting the jab could be seen on the faces of newly vaccinated people, despite their face masks.

"It is our mission to achieve a high vaccination rate as quickly as possible. As BVB, we know that we can reach and inspire many people," said Thomas Treß, who was representing the Borussia Dortmund board at the stadium. "The fact that we have built our vaccination centre in the stadium is also symbolic: we hope to be able to play in front of a sold-out crowd as soon as possible – that is why it is a matter of course for us to give the people this offer."

The aim of the campaign run by BVB, the city of Dortmund and the KVWL is to vaccinate as many people as possible – so that in future, there will again be queues in front of SIGNAL IDUA PARK before BVB home games. You can still get your vaccination at the stadium until July 31.

For more information and to make an appointment, click here.

In the group photo in front of the stadium: Jens Peick (vaccine coordinator for the city of Dortmund), Dr. Frank Renken (director of the public health department of the city of Dortmund), Dr. Christian Hockenjos (director of organisation at BVB), Thomas Treß (CFO of BVB), Dr. Reinhard Büker (medical director of the Dortmund vaccination centre), Thomas Müller (Director of KVWL)