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<\/a><\/p>\nN<\/span>ew York Gov. Kathy Hochul told Christian parishioners on Sunday that God wants them to be vaccinated.<\/p>\n Hochul, who assumed office last month after Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned amid controversy, made\u00a0the remark<\/a>\u00a0while speaking with\u00a0worshippers<\/a>\u00a0at the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n “Yes, I know you’re vaccinated. They’re the smart ones, but you know, there are people out there who aren’t listening to God and what God wants. You know this. You know who they are,”\u00a0Hochul<\/a>\u00a0said.<\/p>\n ANDREW CUOMO BLASTS OUSTER AS ‘POLITICS’<\/a><\/p>\n “I need you to be my apostles. I need you to go out and talk about it and say, ‘We owe this to each other. We love each other,'” she continued. “Jesus taught us to love one another. And how do you show that love, but to care about each other enough to say, ‘Please get vaccinated because I love you. I want you to live.'”<\/p>\n The\u00a0governor’s<\/a>\u00a0comments came one day before a mandate requiring healthcare workers to be vaccinated went into effect on Monday.<\/p>\n State officials expect healthcare staffing shortages as the statewide mandate takes effect, prompting Hochul to announce a plan of action on Saturday, including the possibility of calling in the National Guard and declaring a state of emergency to allow vaccinated professionals with licenses outside of the state and outside of the United States to practice in New York, NPR\u00a0reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n “We are still in a battle against\u00a0COVID<\/a>\u00a0to protect our loved ones, and we need to fight with every tool at our disposal,” Hochul said.<\/p>\n