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Today I went for a tour inside one more weapon in the war against COVID.

It came out of nowhere, the raising of a field hospital that shocked the Belizean public, and drove them to question just how dire the current COVID spike had become.

And on Wednesday morning social media was awash with posts steeped in conspiracy theories and speculation.

Here at 7 News, we were already aware of a handing over ceremony set for this morning between the U.S. Embassy Belmopan and the government of Belize.

And that's where we went this morning to a ceremony attended by Minister of Health Michel Chebat and U.S. Chargé d'affaires Leyla Moses-Ones. We asked them about their reaction to the Facebook fearmongering.

Hon. Michel Chebat, Minister Of Health and Wellness
"It is no secret that Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital is overwhelmed with patients and so this field hospital has been in the making for at least a year now. It has come at a very timely moment when in fact we need it to house our patients, this field hospital will be used initially to treat patients with Covid who have moderate symptoms and who are coming either from the southern part of the country or from the Western part of the country and so that we at the Ministry of Health and Wellness definitely welcome the timeliness of this field hospital."

Leyla Moses-Ones, Charge d'affaires
"I really don't have much more to add to that other than one of my favorite quotes is" if you stay ready then you don't have to get ready." And really this is about readiness and preparedness more than anything else."

Indeed the city of Belmopan and by extension, the south is better prepared than ever to deal not only with the Covid patients that have less severe symptoms but also with the types of medical emergencies that can be triaged in favor of the Covid crisis.

But if you're still wary of these military-grade tents we'd invite you to take a guided look inside.

Andrew Oslovar, Head of Training Department, DLX
"In this shelter is what's called our X-32, it's 32 feet by 21 feet wide, there are four of these types of shelters in the system, each of them in the current capacity can hold at least 10 patients, There are 40 beds included in the kit, these beds have a 350lb weight capacity, they roll around, they can also be individual without rolling but they have a lift back as well as an IV pole with all of them, the mats have a removable liner that can be disinfected and then the inside is just foam."

"Also included is sort of a hospital-style bunk door so you're able to use no hands and actually get through the door."

"The one you'rere in right now is called the X-hub what it does is it allows us to connect multiple structures of all types so that you can keep your footprint of your actually shelter small but allows you to care for a lot of individuals."

"This area here could be used as triage it could be used as a crash bed area, it could also be used as a nurses station or storage for consumables, like masks, or gloves, or curettes or anything like that, that you might need,."

"Through this direction we have a full bathroom facility with showers, sinks, and waterless toilets and then through this, we have another ten-bed ward."

But who will be manning this field hospital? And will it be stationed at the UB gym for the remainder of the pandemic?

Michel Chebat, Minister Of Health and Wellness
"We have 40 doctors and nurses arriving from Cuba, some arrived on Wednesday others arrive today and they together with a complement of Belizean doctors and nurses will be attending this hospital."

"Initially it's gonna be housed here. We are gonna be using it to attend to our patients coming from the south and the west who have moderate symptoms of Covid and who do not need a referral to Karl Heusner. So it's going to be housed here until they need changes."

And this morning Charge' Moses-Ones told the socially distanced crowd that while the field hospital comes during the pandemic she expects its a utility to long outlast it.

Leyla Moses-Ones, Charge d'affaires
"This 1.1million dollar field hospital, it is a state-of-the-art mobile facility. with power generators, with air conditioning that can accommodate up to 40 beds and I believe it comes at a time when Belize needs it the most. And importantly it offers the flexibility to be used anywhere, any time, under any circumstances."

And with all the right information the hope is that Belizeans sent to this field hospital will be as confident in it as they are in any other public health facility.

Andrew Oslovar, Head of Training Department, DLX
"I think they should feel that they are going to get hopefully the same amount of care that they would get at a hospital, I can understand the fear and kind of trepidation of being sent to what most people see as a tent and cinema and stuff has painted these as all is lost but this is state of the art, it's made with state of the art materials, it's a military-grade shelter, it's fireproof, it's waterproof, it's mildew and mold resistant and it's powered by some of the most advanced power systems that are made in the United States. So it is not a place where you don't leave, it's a place where you go and you get better and you go home."

The Embassy hopes that after the pandemic the equipment can stay in use and continue to help the people of Belize.