The variant appears to be more closely related to the original coronavirus strain and originated from Japan. Experts have discovered a new COVID-19 variant at a nursing home in Kentucky. The new R.1 variant has previously unseen characteristics that have some scientists worried, according to Epoch Times, The variant appears to be more closely related to the original coronavirus strain and originated in Japan. Nearly all the residents at the nursing home in Kentucky were vaccinated, yet the new strain seems to have infected them regardless. R.1 has now received over 10,000 entries in the GISAID SARS-CoV-2 database, the world's...