Should we encourage work from home every flu season?

Every year the flu makes millions of people sick, and kills tens of thousands of people. Currently, we have COVID-19 making its way across parts of the world, and some countries are locking down cities, and now Italy is locking down the whole country.

These lockdowns are heavily impacting the economy, but what if it was predictable every year that people would be encouraged to work from home and people took self quarantine more seriously, and if people were more prepared in general with supplies without it being a total panic where store shelves are cleaned out.

Some jobs can’t be done from home, but plenty can. Also, the school year could shift with more time off in January or February. Unless, you think kids vacationing/traveling is more risk than being in school. I don’t have any information about that.