[Svartalfiar]

What will change with the results of a test? You’ll still have the same symptoms. The treatment won’t change.

Testing does matter. If they don't know what you have, then how do they know what to give you to treat it? Different drugs work on different issues, and stuff like antibiotics is useless on a viral infections. Antiviral meds are useless on a bacterial infection.

Lots of different sicknesses have the same symptoms. Try going to WebMD's online doc thing, and enter the very generic fever, cough, and sore throat (pick any combo of symptoms you want). See how many different possibilities pop up.

[FoxInSocks]

Lots of different sicknesses have the same symptoms.

Precisely. So why are people literally panicking about something as mild and commonplace as a flu-like illness?

Different drugs work on different issues, and stuff like antibiotics is useless on a viral infections.

If they draw your blood and find bacteria in it, they can prescribe the appropriate antibiotic. If you have a viral infection, they can treat the symptoms. If the symptoms are limited to a fever, cough, headache, and malaise, you can drink lots of water and get rest at home. If you have comorbidities and a weakened immune system and then you develop a systemic infection, you need to go to the hospital.