Lexi Cortes | Belleville News-Democrat

Nearly all new COVID-19 hospital patients in the region are unvaccinated and the number of hospitalized young people, including those under 25, is growing.

"It’s so many families out there that are suffering, and we’re not getting any closure,” one community member said.

On Friday, an estimated 800 people who were not eligible under state and county vaccination guidelines had scheduled appointments.

As Vaccines began arriving at Illinois nursing homes and other long-term care facilities Monday. Metro East leaders said the facilities have been addressing skepticism among some residents and staff as part of the vaccination rollout.

The city of Edwardsville is considering renaming a downtown park and relocating a statue of the city's namesake after a group of people from the Edwardsville area informed city leaders in June that Ninian Edwards was a slave owner who actively advocated for slavery.