Hand, foot and mouth disease at daycare?

how contagious is this? My 16 month old is "best friends" with a child that just got sent home today for hand, foot and mouth disease. Other kids are coming down with it as well. Does he have a pretty good chance of getting it? We have not been able to visit our home town and family there for several years and were planning on going for a trip this holiday weekend, but now I think we shouldn't chance it - two people in the family have recently had surgery and we don't want to pass it on if our son were to get it. Do you think it's likely he will get this and if he does, what are the best things to do to soothe him? I bet it's painful.