Take Back Santa Cruz’s Needles Solutions Team is saddened to report that we have confirmed that a child was indeed injured by a dirty needle during a Twin Lakes Jr. Guards session at the Black’s Beach last week.
While the risk of disease transmission from an injury from a publicly discarded needle is low, our position is and has always been that there is no acceptable risk to our children. This latest needle stick injury is the ninth confirmed needle stick injury (four were adults, five were children) we have recorded in the past 42 months, 12 days.
It was also reported to us that several more needles had been found by children at the beach during the Jr Guards session. This local beach in the Live Oak area of Santa Cruz goes by many names. Some call it Black’s Beach or Lincoln Beach, and others simply call it 14th Avenue Beach. It’s the beach in front of the homes south of Twin Lakes State Beach.