I'm writing this as I'm sitting in quarantine. My opinions are thusly shaped by this situation. I realize that I should've brought more things and taken various things into consideration, and so here they are.
Before I even get into it, I'm going to strongly advise against international travel until such a time as there are no pandemic related restrictions. The strategies that various countries are engaging in may cause you delays or in some cases complete changes in your travel plans. Travel inside the continental USA, aside from some of the really weird places, is completely free and you won't get stuck. If you do get sick, medical care is, quite literally, first world and has the best chance of taking care of you.
If you choose to ignore my advice, then be prepared for a trip that could be extended for days, if not weeks, should the worst happen. This means that packing light is contraindicated, at least based on my experience. You should pack more of:
Clothes. Especially underwear and socks. Anything you don't want to wear over and over again, I'd bring more of.
Toiletries. A full tube of toothpaste would be an excellent start. If there's anything in your kit that looks like it is almost out, just replace it with a full item, or include a full item if there is room in your luggage.
Medication. Bring cold and allergy medications, even if you aren't currently suffering from either. Extra first aid supplies are probably not a bad idea. If you have any prescription medications, I'd bring several weeks worth. It won't hurt.
Cash. Bring enough to subsist well beyond what you'll need for the trip. You may need more for food, lodging, supplies, tips, or donations to public servants' charity funds.
Entertainments. A fully charged kindle with several books on it is a great start. Even if you are completely without internet or data signal, this will keep your mind from turning into mush. If you're going someplace where internet is available, you may wish to also have a laptop or anything else that you use to interact with the world and your workplace. You may end up having to work remotely for some stretch if the worst happens. Also, a set of earbuds isn't a bad idea. Depending on where you are going, you may wish to bring the cheap ones, and you still will probably only want to use them in safe places. Doing otherwise may get you targeted for property removal/redistribution.
Batteries. If you have anything that requires charging, you definitely need to bring chargers for them. You may want to have an external battery that you can charge phones, tablets, and laptops from. And if you still have anything that requires disposable batteries, bring spares of those too.
Laundry detergent. Bring along a small box or pack of this. If worse comes to worse, you can hand wash clothes in your sink and then hang them to dry. You can also get a very light and packably small clothesline to hang your stuff up. That is definitely going to be on my future travel packing lists. I'm looking hard at the Sea to Summit Clothes line. It is $14 as of this article and weighs something like 1.3 ounces.
Dish soap. A small bottle of Dawn or similar will help considerably if you end up having to eat with the same plate and utensils repeatedly.
Tripod or selfie stick. Sounds weird, but if you have internet, you'll want to video chat with your loved ones who aren't with you. Sitting your phone up against walls and bookshelves starts to get old really quickly. Trust me on this one. They are pretty cheap on amazon.
In general if you think of what you'd bring as your normal checklist, pretend that your trip just stuck for 14 more days. If that happened, what would you add to your packing list? That will be your best clue. It may also be smart to have a bag or luggage that isn't completely stuffed full at the beginning of your trip. If you need to add to what you're carrying mid-trip, you'll have some convenient place to stow your new acquisition(s).
I wouldn't wish on you an extended stay against your wishes, but if it does happen, make sure you are prepared for it! If there's anything I've missed, email me and let me know!
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