A steric block to SARS-CoV-2 In response to infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the immune system makes antibodies, many of which target the spike protein, a key player in host cell entry. Antibodies that potently neutralize the virus hold promise as therapeutics and could inform vaccine design. Lv et al. report a humanized monoclonal antibody that protected against SARS-CoV-2 in a mouse model. The cryo–electron microscopy structure, together with biochemical, cellular, and virological studies, showed that the antibody acts by binding to the receptor-binding domain of the spike and blocking its attachment to the host receptor. Science , this issue p. 1505