Currently, our society encourages and rewards people with perfect work and school attendance. People showing up every day is a positive character trait.
Unfortunately, this allows diseases to be spread by people that come into contact with their co-workers and classmates. The money saved by encouraging a sick person to go to work or school is minuscule. This person will infect their peers making them vectors or killing them. Sick people, in general, do not want to be at work nor do they perform as well as usual.
I propose funding research to examine the feasibility of providing a stipend for people to stay at home when they are sick. Publicly funded nurses to verify the illness and regulations to prevent school or employer discrimination and retaliation should also be considered.