If you sneeze, or blow your nose, or cough, you get germs all over your hands. Those germs will then get on anything you touch.

If you touch food, other people will eat those germs and get sick.

You should wash your hands before preparing food, and before eating food.

But you must also wash them if you cough or sneeze or scratch while you are cooking.

You should also be careful that your nails are clean, and that you have a bandage on any cuts or sores.

It is a good idea to wear thin plastic gloves if you have a bandaid on. Nobody wants to eat food with your bandaid in it!