Keep in mind also that the CDC clinical criteria means that everyone with flu-like symptoms is assumed to have COVID "in the absence of a more likely diagnosis". If you never get a specific test which proves it's something else, it's COVID. (Which, incidentally, is how they used to classify most flu cases, because when you only had the sniffles the doctor wasn't going to give you an expensive influenza test, they'd just say "you probably have the flu, get bed rest and drink plenty of fluids and call me if it gets worse.")
Keep in mind also that the CDC clinical criteria means that everyone with flu-like symptoms is assumed to have COVID "in the absence of a more likely diagnosis". If you never get a specific test which proves it's something else, it's COVID. (Which, incidentally, is how they used to classify most flu cases, because when you only had the sniffles the doctor wasn't going to give you an expensive influenza test, they'd just say "you probably have the flu, get bed rest and drink plenty of fluids and call me if it gets worse.")