Earlier quoted context omitted.
if you have the symptoms for the cold, and don't have the symptoms for covid-19, then why would they test you?
There is no clear-cut distinction between the symptoms of the two - it's more an "if you hear hooves, think horse not zebra" thing. The New York Times article in the grandparent post literally points to the fact that Tom Hanks could get tested for coronavirus based on symtoms that were just like a cold as proof it's much easier to get tested in Australia than the US. Except that if you read the ABC article, Australia…
I think this just points to the ease of being tested if you are Tom Hanks.