As earlier noted, the fair allocation of critical care resources is a concern that arises way before the need to prioritize patients arises in the triage context within hospital premises. Many people affected – or suspected to be affected – by COVID‐19 do not have full information about their options for consultation, treatment, or confinement. Access to the relevant services or facilities can easily be denied if pertinent information is not properly disseminated. People need to know about confinement options, contact procedures, costs, prerequisites for admission, etc., in order to gain fair access. Knowledge about these factors helps one decide which treatment alternatives suit one’s financial capability. To be able to fully understand these factors, people need to be functionally literate and to have a minimum level of health literacy. As we address these issues during the pandemic, it should be clear to us that these are also long‐standing concerns that have been waiting for durable solutions. Only durable solutions can help us maintain emergency readiness over the long term. In the meantime, during the COVID‐19 pandemic, guaranteeing fair access is necessary. One way for authorities to do this is to uphold fair allocation principles in the various areas taken up so far, as well as in emergency critical care.