The rules are the rules. There aren’t any exceptions for the pandemic. If you want to claim a value over $5000, you need a signed appraisal by a qualified appraiser, and you need to have the form 8283 signed by both the appraiser and a financially responsible representative of the charity.
You may be able to find an appraiser who will work from detailed photographs. Additionally, If you have personal items that are potentially contaminated with the coronavirus, the virus becomes inactivated over a period of time due to exposure to normal heat and humidity, from between several hours to several days, depending on the type of material. If you were to place the items in storage for two weeks, you would then be able to take them out of storage and have have them appraised without any risk.
You could also sell the items yourself or at an estate sale, and then donate the resulting cash.
