Measles parties echo chicken pox parties from decades ago, when people would deliberately expose themselves or others to someone with a confirmed case in an attempt to spread the virus in a controlled environment. The chicken pox vaccine was introduced to the public in 1995, largely ending the practice.

The warning against measles parties comes days after an unvaccinated child died of measles in Lubbock County about month after an outbreak began in West Texas.

Kennedy wrote in an opinion piece published Sunday on Fox News Digital that parents should consult with physicians about the MMR vaccine.