There are several lessons to be learned from the COVID-19. The crisis of 2020 not only had exposed the vulnerability of populations but also several unequalities. In this sense, autonomy, equity, equality, and other ethical basic principles define what ought to be done and also the limits of action, “drawing the line”. Equity is a core principle in public health. Justice as fairness could exemplify the normative and cognitive dimensions of principles. Equality defines the line to close the gender gap, (...) dramatically exposed by pandemics. Care práctice and care ethics are basic for health policies. Beyond autonomy, ethical principles allow us to identify the best practices in public health. (shrink)