I don't know about the 5 days and wait it out policy you are referencing.
I'm treating people literally in their first day of symptoms all the time.
If workers have symptoms - any symptom - and they aren't vaxed, we are sending them home to quarantine. Guidance from CDC was 10 days if positive, 14 days if exposed with no vax. No meds necessary.
That has now been reduced to 5 days if positive and they can return to work if their symptoms are improving and they don't have a fever. No meds necessary.
Most positives never get treatment. Just like a normal cold, they ride it out. I've had a couple workers have their situation deteriorate and need hospitalization. What I'm saying is they might not have needed hospitilization if they were treated at the first sign of symptoms.
Around here - very few are going to the hospital unless they are having severe issues with breathing. I've recently had 2 guys who were waiting out symptoms (both vaxed) and needed to go the hospital for hypertension. Crazy BP levels. Anecdotal. Possibly unrelated to Covid.